Our financial aid philosophy is take what you need and give what you can. We recognize that there are economic hardships, and we want to be accessible to all, so we ask that you pay whatever it is that you can.
The more you can pay, the more children we are able to extend aid to. Before you request financial aid we ask families to consider if there are family members or friends who might help provide a scholarship to your family for this program.
While nobody has ever been turned away for lack of funds, our ability to accommodate financial aid requests rests on the strength of our program enrollment and the generosity of the individuals, businesses and foundations that partner with Wild Earth to make financial aid possible.
We're in this together! Many of us are stretching ourselves to make sure that cost doesn't get in the way of anyone playing, exploring and learning in nature.
Requests for financial aid are processed alongside your registration. This enables you to reserve a space in the program while our team is reviewing aid requests. Register now and reserve your space in Ropes: Wilderness Program for Teens today.
High School aged teens
8 Saturday programs plus a 2-night overnight in the Spring
Hazardous Weather Make-Up Days:
Saturdays: Rolling drop-off time from 9-9:30am – and pickup from 3-3:30pm
Overnights: Rolling drop-off time Friday evening: 5:00-5:30pm – and pickup on Sunday from 11-11:30am
$1,160 for 22-23 Program, payment plan and financial aid available.
Wild Earth’s home, 135 acres of wilderness on Rock Haven Road in Kerhonkson
Drop us an email or give us a call and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
hello@wildearth.org
(845) 256-9830
Join Wild Earth instructors and special guests for edgy and fun experiences in the wilderness with other high school-aged peers.
Together we’ll start our day sharing some of the things we’re grateful for in spite of our busy lives. Once we have arrived together, we’ll hike out to our camp site, set up a tarp if it’s rainy and get a fire started via friction with bowdrill, handrill or flint and steel. After a snack and water break, we will spend our day choosing from a wide range of activities like a high energy activity, theater games, earth living skills and/or crafts. Teens are given agency and leadership opportunities as they explore new skills and relationships. At the end of the day we clean up camp, pack up our gear and head back down the trail to meet families.
We’ve found that there’s no easier place than the forest to show up as our favorite versions of ourselves. Ropes gives us an extra dose of joy, connection and confidence. Each year, students face unique challenges and while there is plenty to learn from peers we’ve found that a mix of ages brings even more wisdom to the table. At Ropes, we are all invited to take risks and show up to challenge and support one another.
“I recommend Ropes for all the support these teens are offered, and offer each other; for the outdoor time in all weather; for the challenges of learning to cope with all the weather and other quests they are given; for the perseverance they learn throughout this program; for the amazing staff and thoughtful programming (that seems effortless and natural).”
“Ropes gives me a healthy escape from high school. I get to be around grounded people who are close to my age, and who have a lot of wisdom to share. It’s nice to have a supportive community to go to each month throughout the school year.”
“Ropes describes building the bonds between your family, your community and the other people within the Ropes program, and that is exactly what [the program] Ropes accomplishes.”
“For me it was one of the most intense and meaningful experiences I have ever had. Ropes allowed me to look deeper and to escape my everyday high school life and figure out things I wouldn’t have been able to comprehend without the guidance of everyone around me. The skills I learned are incredibly valuable and will stay with me for the rest of my life.”